I believe the milk extraction process from the soybean plants would be the same as how soy milk is typically extracted; however, this is something we also investigated this semester. We also looked at genes involved in lipid droplet export from the cell in mammalian milk (butyrophilin and perelipin) and tried to express these in bacterial cells, because if we could express these in soy beans, we could perhaps induce the formation and export of lipid droplets that are characteristic of mammalian milk. So to answer your second question on lactoferrin, it just ended up being our most successful gene with no mutations after sequencing. Our ultimate goal would involve the expression of many genes (including butyrophilin and perelipin) to make a mammalian-like milk product, but we started with lactoferrin to concentrate our efforts in one place.
Here, I use the word vector to describe the plasmid in which we have inserted our gene of interest (lactoferrin). The term vector can refer to any molecular construct which is used to carry a DNA sequence into a cell.
As far as I know, there is no evidence of this. Lactoferrin is actually more abundant in human milk. Here, the problem we are more trying to address is the general demand for milk and find a more sustainable way to produce it, one protein at a time.
curesymposium.org 
How would the milk be extracted from the plants? Also, why was the lactoferrin gene chosen for study for this topic?
LikeLike
I believe the milk extraction process from the soybean plants would be the same as how soy milk is typically extracted; however, this is something we also investigated this semester. We also looked at genes involved in lipid droplet export from the cell in mammalian milk (butyrophilin and perelipin) and tried to express these in bacterial cells, because if we could express these in soy beans, we could perhaps induce the formation and export of lipid droplets that are characteristic of mammalian milk. So to answer your second question on lactoferrin, it just ended up being our most successful gene with no mutations after sequencing. Our ultimate goal would involve the expression of many genes (including butyrophilin and perelipin) to make a mammalian-like milk product, but we started with lactoferrin to concentrate our efforts in one place.
LikeLike
Is there a reason behind using soybean plants instead of a different plant?
LikeLike
Soybeans are an easy-to-cultivate plant, with relatively low demands for resources.
LikeLike
What is a vector?
LikeLike
Here, I use the word vector to describe the plasmid in which we have inserted our gene of interest (lactoferrin). The term vector can refer to any molecular construct which is used to carry a DNA sequence into a cell.
LikeLike
Is there any evidence that the lactoferrin we produce isn’t sufficient, leading us to rely on cows/the soy in your model to function and thrive?
LikeLike
As far as I know, there is no evidence of this. Lactoferrin is actually more abundant in human milk. Here, the problem we are more trying to address is the general demand for milk and find a more sustainable way to produce it, one protein at a time.
LikeLike